Headword	Stem
Level	E
Language	English
Topic	Meaning
Definition	The stem is the most basic part of a word and carries its main meaning. Sometimes it is the whole word, as in cat or hound, which cannot be broken down into smaller units. Sometimes it is part of the word, as in kingly or powerful, where suffixes are added to the nouns king and power to form adjectives.
Notes	When discussing the history of words, the stem is often referred to as its root.
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Concept	Word structure
See also	Morphology